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From Modesto we climb into higher regions. The surroundings are beautiful. Forests, lakes and stunning views. The temperature is dropping, the higher we climb. Reaching the entrance of Yosemite we are told that the campground near the entrance is still closed for the winter, but that the trekking and climbing campground in the valley still has plenty of space. So we descend into Yosemite Valley. Talking about stunning views.

Cars are flying by when we descend into Yosemite Valley. They have no idea what they are missing. Not only the wind in our face, the sun warming us when we cycle through the open spots, but mainly the views. When you are driving a car it just goes by too fast, or there is no place to stop next to the road. That is so different when you are on a bicycle.
Waterfalls, vertical rock, meadows and much more.... including the famous El Capitan (The Nose).

From Yosemite we cycle close to the Sierra Nevade mountains, passing Bass Lake, and some other beautiful areas. Cycling up the road towards Kings Canyon and Seqouia, it starts to rain.... the rain turns to snow, and before we know it we are almost falling of our bikes from the cold. We are wearing fleece and Gore-tex, but the temperature has dropped so drastically, that we can't stay warm. Snow and ice is covering the road, and the situation is getting very unpleasant. Fortunately we have the luck of stopping a pick-up truck. The driver owns a cabin up in Kings Canyon, and we are invited to use the cabin as long as we need to. Three days we spent in Kings Canyon, with over knee deep snow, until the road clears enough to turn back down the road we came from. The road through Seqouia would stay closed for many more days.